It Was 2012
by SylphinesBane
Summary: When Connor is brought to 2012 through the animus. M for language and tasty lemon near the end.


It Was 2012

I do not own any of the characters, except Sarah. This story is mature due to language and the lemony goodness at the end. I got this idea from other fanfic writers actually. I never read those stories and originally thought having one of Desmond's ancestors in his own time was stupid, but I decided to try the idea for myself and I got a little out of control and couldn't stop writing. Please enjoy.

It was a hushed dawn, the world outside muffled by distance and walls. Connor woke to find his room softly illuminated by the waking sun. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he decided to rise and see what the birth of this day would yield.

"Cold…" He mumbled as he peeled the blankets off of him and placed his bare feet on the wooden floor. He gaze went to the fireplace, where what was left of the blaze he had fed last night smoldered weakly. He gave it a disappointed sigh before stripping the bed of its top blanket and wrapping himself tightly in its lingering warmth. He stood at the doorway to his room and listened to the silence of the empty home.

"I miss you Achilles…" He whispered into the air, thinking he should have done more to express his gratitude toward the old man. He brushed off the momentary melancholy and made his way downstairs, the blanket murmuring faintly behind him on the steps and then the kitchen floor. The massive table in the center of the room was piled with various baked goods and fruit, gifts from the women of the homestead. They had expressed the need to lavish Connor with food after Achilles had passed, something he found slightly odd. He had tried to refuse but they were persistent mentioning something about comfort food at this time of loss. He sat heavily on the nearest stool, sleep still clinging desperately to his waking mind.

"Connor?" A door-dampened voice asked after knocking. Connor stood and approached the entranceway. He opened the door, introducing the home to the early spring air, still crisp with winter's bite.

"Warren…" He said to the man standing before him, in a voice still heavy with sleep. Warren tipped his hat back and greeted Connor with a smile that was much more cordial then the sudden breeze that snuck underneath the blanket that Connor clung to.

"Connor, I'm sorry for coming to you so early. Could I trouble you for some help this morning? Prudence needs to take our little Hunter to Dr. White and I don't want some of the farm work to get behind…" He stated apologetically.

"It is no trouble, if you could give me a few minutes…" He replied motioning to the blanket he was clothed with.

"Of course! Of course, thank you Connor…" Warren thanked zealously, leaving with same beaming smile he had come with. Connor turned to walk back upstairs, when a blinding dizziness nearly booted him to the floor. Desperately grabbing onto the railing of the staircase, he struggled to breathe. Vertigo lashed out at him, forcing him to his knees. Vision blurring, he began to hear voices he did not recognize, a British voice and then a woman. A tugging sensation pulled viciously at his skull, causing him to grasp his temples and silently scream in agony. Drenched in sweat and hyperventilating, the episode was over as quickly as it began. Prostrate and panting, Connor painstakingly hauled himself to the first step of the flight of stairs that rose menacingly in front of him. He sat and delicately held his head in his hands, finally conquering the lightheadedness with slow, deep breaths. Weakened by the incident, Connor carefully staggered back to his room and lay on the bed, waiting for the adrenaline to stop pounding through his veins. After closing his eyes and concentrating on the gentle rise and fall of his chest, he began to feel more normal. He risked sitting up and was thankful he felt neither dizzy or nauseous. He ran his hand through his hair and decided to get some fresh air. Still clad in his blanket, he slowly made his way to the small balcony and inhaled the sweet aroma as he opened the door and stepped outside.

"Much better." He said to himself as he took in the scenery. He could hear the homestead was wide awake in the distance and smiled fondly. He collected his robe of blanket and strode back to his room. Washing quickly at the washstand, he dressed and made his way down to Warren's farm.

"Connor!" Warren welcomed the young man with a hearty wave as he leaned on a shovel.

"Warren, I apologize if I took too long…" Connor began before Warren shook his head in protest to his words.

"No, no, it is fine Connor. I am grateful for your help." He stabbed the ground with his shovel, imbedding it in the soil and took Connor's elbow and led him toward the side of the house. It was there Connor saw what Warren needed help with; a section of fence was broken.

"A tree fell on this in that last storm we had and I just haven't had the time to repair it." Warren stated with regret. Connor gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder,

"Do not worry; I will see what I can do." Warren beamed and thanked Connor, while showing him where the new parts of the fence where, explaining how Lance had just brought them over the day before. Connor nodded in understanding as he watched Warren return to his shoveling. The storm had apparently buried some seedlings Warren and Prudence had planted not long ago.

As Connor began to remove the shattered chucks of fence, he felt a woozy caress creep into his head and chest.

"Not again…" He hissed seizing a sturdy portion of the fence to keep from falling. The sensation began to grow until he found himself on his hands and knees, clenching his teeth against a rising queasiness.

"Connor! Connor are you ill?!" A worried voice broke through fog of dizziness. He felt someone touch his back in concern and glancing sideways revealed Warren next to him.

"I…." Connor started to say before the awful wrenching sensation cut short his words and sent him plunging to the ground.

. . .

An awareness of lying in a bed met Connor as he began to wake up. His body felt heavy and exhausted as voices began to pierce the haze of his stirring mind. He tried to move his left arm and found it weighed down; he turned his head to see why when a bright light flashed into his face.

"Connor? Relax…" A female voice spoke softly. He felt someone carefully touch his face and hold open each eye, shining a light into his face. He struggled to move his head away from the headache-inducing brightness. The female voice spoke again but it sounded as though she was either far away or muffled by a wall. He then felt something cold touch his chest and then an intense pressure on this right arm that slowly ebbed away. A soft chorus of voices spoke in hushed tones, as his senses began to return. His arm wasn't weighed down, it was bound…he was restrained! His body jerked awake at that realization. Both of his hands were tied down as well as his ankles. He was lying in a bed in a room oddly illuminated. He struggled furiously against his binds, drawing the attention of a dark haired woman and man. The duo appeared from behind a curtain, the woman rushed to Connor's side while the man hung back looking curious and…worried?

"Connor! Connor relax, it's ok. You're in a safe place, relax." Her words rushed out like a waterfall as she placed her hand soothingly on his shoulder.

"Who are you?! Where am I?!" Connor bellowed as he continued to fight against the restraints.

"Connor, please calm down. We are assassins, it's ok! Desmond bring that tray over here I have to sedate him." The woman shouted as she motioned to the man she called Desmond while continuing to try and pacify the panicking Connor. Connor watched in horror as the woman took a tiny sharp object and inject some kind of liquid from it into a tube that was literally in his hand, as he thrashed in vain. She placed the used object on the metal tray and returned to speaking softly to Connor.

"Sshhh Connor, relax. Take some slow breaths, everything is all right." She gave him a reassuring smile and he felt her take his hand. A numbness began to grow from his arm into his other limbs. It actually felt comforting as his breathing began to slow. He battled against his drooping eyelids. He watched with a detached sense of sinking as the woman lifted something from around her neck. She inserted two pieces into her ears and leaned over him.

"Relax…" She whispered as she pulled the front of his clothing down and pressed the cool object to his bare chest. She moved it around a few times before removing it.

"Is he ok?" The man (Desmond was it?) asked moving closer to the bed. He peered down at Connor, who tried to study the man's face. Connor squinted against the distorted vision he was experiencing. It was as though he was trying to focus his eyes under water. The woman placed the tube-like object back around her neck and turned to look at him.

"You don't need to stare at him like's he some kind of animal and yes he's fine. I had a feeling he would have a bad reaction when he woke up." She seemed angry at Desmond before Connor brought her attention back to him.

"Who…." He gasped, still wrestling against the strange euphoria that gave him a calm floating feeling.

"My name is Sarah and I'm a doctor Connor. I gave you some medicine to help you relax, which is why you might feel strange right now. I can't explain anything when your trying to fight, so you are restrained to protect myself and my team as well as yourself." Spoke leisurely, taking time to explain herself. Her tone was motherly and tender, which Connor found confusing; why was he strapped to a bed while being spoken to in such a way?

"Sarah-" Desmond began before she interrupted him.

"Desmond, you should go, I want to limit the amount of people he has exposure to for now. I still need to give him the other immunizations." Sarah stood protectively next to the bed, blocking Connor's view of the man. The man did not reply with words, but Connor heard his footsteps vanish out of earshot. She sighed in relief before turning back to her patient. She sat on the edge of the bed and he felt her lightly touch his wrist. She was staring at his hand as though afraid to make eye contact. When she did glance at him, she quickly looked away, uncomfortable that he was staring back at her.

"Do I…frighten you?" Connor asked weakly, his head still filled with a ringing haze. Her saw her smile before she answered. She released his wrist and looked at him.

"I am frightened of what you can do. You're in a foreign place surrounded by strangers. We can tell you the truth but you might not believe us. We can lie to you and you could believe us. You are a dangerous man, and although we mean you no harm, we can't trust you right now, not yet. If you were to escape…I don't think your safety could be guaranteed. There are more of them then there are of us out there, we need to protect our own." She answered, gaining more confidence as she spoke sadly. Her words swam in his head, fishing for them was confusing him. Sarah seemed to understand he was completely confused; the sedative she had given him wasn't helping him to focus.

"Get some rest, I'll check on you in the morning…" She replied sympathetically. Connor heard her steps fade as she left the room he was in. Finally alone, he succumbed to the sedative and slipped into a deep sleep.

. . .

"Connor? Connor, I need you to wake up for me…" A voice was stating. It spoke his name a few more times as his senses began to register movement around him. He inhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes. He was still in the bed, wearing it like an extension of himself. His attention was drawn by the woman, Sarah. She was moving around the room, rearranging items on tables. She glanced behind her at him and smiled when she saw he was awake.

"Good morning, how are you feeling?" She was carrying a plate of food, which she placed on table near his bed after moving some papers first. He simply stared at her, mentally commenting on her strange clothes. She was slightly dressed like a man, a white button down shirt and black trousers. Her dark hair was pulled away from her face and tied at the back of her head. Her dark-rimmed glasses framed her young face and a thin chain of silver hung around her neck, whatever dangled from it was hidden beneath her blouse. She saw him visually observing her, causing her to stop her movements and stare back.

"Are you hungry? I'm going to release your hands so you can eat, but please don't try anything…" She explained as a familiar clinking sound met his ears. She held her hands up, illustrating her point, or rather both of her points.

"Why bind me if we are of the same brotherhood?" He asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"Do you remember what I said to you last night? I trust you to a degree because we are on the same side, but I need you to trust me as well." She unbelted his hands and took several steps away from the bed. She watched as he pushed himself to a sitting position, reached for the plate of food and began to eat. He didn't realize how hungry he was until the first piece touched his mouth. It was though he hadn't eaten in days, which raised a question in his mind.

"How long have I been here?" He asked between mouthfuls.

"Since yesterday afternoon. You…arrived here unconscious. You were having some slight difficulty breathing, but other than that you were fine." She explained as she reached for something at the foot of his bed and went back to original stance. She was holding some kind of notebook and was flipping through it casually.

"You are not Templars?" He asked warily, watching her at the same time he scanned the room. An annoying tugging at his hand caught his attention. He rested the plate in his lap and cautiously reached for the tube he remembered being in his hand from last night. Sarah was suddenly at his side, yanking his inquisitive hand away.

"Please don't touch that, you need that to stay where it is and no we are not Templars." The words tumbled out of her mouth in a slight panic that he would remove the tube attached to his hand.

"What is this? Where am I?" He began to feel the heat of anger at the lack of explanation.

"Connor, please relax…" She swallowed hard and sighed heavily, "Do you remember the spirits that told you to find Achilles?"

"How do you know that?" He demanded his eyes narrowing.

"Those spirits let us see whoever they are in contact with and they are the ones who brought you here. We don't know why or really how, but you're here. Here, is not far from your homestead, but it's not the same, it's 2012." She was hesitant to finish her explanation, not wanting to tell him yet that he was in the same place, but not the same time.

"20…12? You are trying to deceive me in some way…release me!" He demanded the clatter of his plate sharp against the floor as he reached for the restraints on his ankles. Sarah was quick to grab his wrists, but he was much stronger than her and shoved her hard enough that she hit the far wall where a table was sitting. Her impact caused a loud rattling of glass jars and bottles. Some bandages parachuted to the floor along with some cotton balls and a sloppy pile of papers. Hearing the clamor, the man Desmond sprinted into the room and tackled Connor off the bed just as he freed himself of the restraints. The IV stand clattered to the floor, ripping itself free of Connor's hand. Desmond pinned Connor to the floor, holding his hidden blade to his neck.

"Everything you can do, I can do too." Desmond stated as Connor struggled against him. Satisfied he had gotten Connor under control, Desmond risked a glance in Sarah's direction.

"Sarah? You ok?" Connor couldn't see, but he heard a moaning complaint come from where she had landed on the floor.

"Yes…just…fuck…yes I'm ok." The rattling of overturned jars and the scuffling of an overturned table being righted filled the room as Sarah staggered over to where Desmond held Connor to the floor. She peered down at the two and shook her head.

"What do you want to do with him?" Desmond asked carefully watching the man he held to the ground.

"I don't want to sedate him again, but I might not have a choice…" She replied defeated. She knelt on the floor next to the men and looked Connor in the face. He returned her stare with one of anger, his breathing heavy from the tussle.

"Connor, you gotta trust us. I know, I've been kinda where you are right now, in a weird place around people you don't know, unsure who to trust if anyone. But we are the good guys, we are assassins. You've seen it with your own eyes…" Desmond pleaded.

"My father has a hidden blade as well…" Connor spat.

"Desmond, let him go…" She sighed rubbing the back of her head and wincing.

"Sarah, are you fucking nuts?! How hard did you just hit your head?" Desmond's shock echoed in the small room.

"We need to show him if our words and blades are not enough. I just want to make sure he's ok first, get him up." She replied, ignoring the look of disgust Desmond flashed her. He shook his head and heaved Connor to his feet while holding his arms behind his back. She stepped up to Connor and reached for his neck. He tried to resist against his human restraints, pushing against Desmond to try and back away from Sarah's outstretched hand.

"Easy, I just want to check your pulse." She whispered, gently placing two of her fingers into the soft flesh of his neck. Her other hand she rested against his chest. He was breathing heavily from exertion and she could feel the beat racing under her fingertips as well as her hand. Satisfied that he was just reacting to the brief altercation, she took a few steps back and nodded to Desmond.

"Sarah…." He warned, shaking his head at her.

"Desmond, we are both armed and he is not, let him go." She insisted, watching as Desmond slowly released his grip on Connor's arms. Connor slowly rubbed his arms down and glared at the two others in the room with him.

"Where are my belongings?" He asked searching the room with his eyes. Sarah pointed to a chair in the far corner of the room where his clothing was neatly folded. He stalked over the area and dug through the pile looking for something.

"Your weapons aren't there…" Sarah began walking toward him. Connor glared at her.

"There is no need to be so angry Connor. You will have them back, just not yet. There is a makeshift shower in the next room; you can dress in there as well. I will show you how to use the shower." She stated holding out her arm, indicating that she would follow him. He nodded curtly and allowed her to guide him to the room she had mentioned. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder when he visibly jumped at the lights she flicked on. She took the clothes from his grip and rested them on the toilet. She proceeded to explain how to work the shower and that the soap and other things were within easy reach. He nodded in understanding as she closed the door.

"Are you ok Sarah?" Desmond asked as she delicately touched the back of her head again. She glanced at him from the corner of eye as she bent her neck lower, and smiled.

"I'll be fine, I've taken worse hits." She chuckled listening to the soft drizzle of the shower from behind the door.

"You want me to stay here until he's done in there?" Desmond asked walking over to the mess Sarah had left when Connor shoved her across the room.

"I'll be ok. I want to give him a physical now that he's fully up. He's already had some trauma this morning, no need to cause more." She replied helping him reorganize the spillage.

"I mean, I know Connor wouldn't do anything to a woman, but he's not in his environment anymore Sarah…" He explained with concern, pausing as he did his best to arrange the snowstorm of paper littering the floor. She laughed before answering.

"Desmond why so chivalrous all the sudden? You know I can handle myself as well as a blade." Desmond gave her a flat look in response and tossed the papers on the nearby table.

"Fine, have it your way. I'll be out in the main part of the cave by the animus. Can't really use it now since he's here." Sarah nodded to his back and returned to restoring the small room to some semblance of what it looked like before the altercation. She was checking the IV bag when she felt a pair of eyes burrowing a hole in her back. She slowly turned to see Connor standing barely a foot away from her.

"You are well trained, I have not been standing there long, but you would still be dead." He stated coldly. She said nothing as she watched him stalk slowly around the room, studying everything.

"Connor, how are you feeling?" She questioned, watching him pause at the medical chart that was hanging at the foot of his bed. He lifted it cautiously and glanced over the pages before replacing it and looking up at her.

"I am well." Was his simple response. She moved toward him and watched his eyes linger at the weapons strapped to her wrists.

"I want to make sure you are well. Will you allow me to examine you?"

"What does that mean?" Her gaze found the gash on his hand from the IV that was torn from his vein. He was bleeding but seemed either immune to the injury or more focused on her. He followed her stare and wrapped the bleeding appendage in the towel he was still holding.

"Let me take at look at that…" She made a slow move toward him and felt his eyes digging into her. He made no motion to avoid her as she lifted his towel-enfolded hand.

"Come over here and sit." She said indicating the bed. The towel was already becoming soaked with his life and she feared he might need stitches. As he sat on the edge of the bed, she moved a light closer, sat next to him, and placed his hand gently in her lap. She carefully pulled the towel off of the wound and studied the injury. She was thankful it wasn't severe and reached for a bandage that hadn't been lounging on the floor.

"I am going to clean this, it might sting." She applied pressure to the wound and grabbed a bottle of alcohol. As the bandage soaked up his leaking hand, she tossed it aside and used another on the alcohol bottle and firmly pressed it into his wound. He took a sharp intake of air and she felt his arm tense.

"Relax, I'm almost done." She spoke softly as she finished cleaning the gash and bandaging it snuggly. She smiled, pleased with her work. She took the soiled wrappings and tossed them in the trash nearby. He turned his hand over a few times and flexed his fingers, satisfied with her work and began to stand when she stopped him

"Connor, I'm not done. Can you take your shirt off please?" He gave her a confused look.

"Why?" He demanded.

"I want to make sure you are as well as you say. I need to listen to you back and chest." She replied touching the tubing around her neck.

"What is that?" He questioned motioning with his head.

"It's called a stethoscope. Doctors use them to listen to a person's heart and lungs among other things. May I Connor?" She answered lifting it from around her neck. He didn't answer her but instead gave a sideways glance, splitting it between her and the instrument she was now holding in her hands. A span of several moments passed before he began unbuttoning his shirt. He slipped it off along with his coat. Sarah quickly inserted the ends of the stethoscope into her ears and lightly pressed the flat end to his back. She felt him stiffen.

"Cold…" He hissed, shooting her a sharp glare.

"Sorry…" She removed the tip and held it in her hand until it no longer felt cool. Depressing it against his back again, she closed her eyes and listened intently to his breathing. Satisfied, she removed it and then pressed it firmly to his chest. She mentally remarked how strong his heart sounded and that his lungs were clear of any abnormal noise. She left the stethoscope dangling from her ears and grabbed the blood pressure cuff that she had left hanging on the bed post. He watched in a curious silence as she carefully rolled it around his lower bicep and placed the stethoscope against his arm. She pumped it and then released the air, listening and watching the gauge. His pressure was a little high, which she expected. The thick sound of velcro cluttered the air briefly as she removed the cuff from his arm.

"Am I well?" He asked, almost shyly.

"Yes, you're in excellent health Connor. You can put your shirt back on." She gave him an encouraging smile and walked away from the bed to make some notes in his medical chart. She could hear the soft shifting of his clothing as he dressed and stood up from the bed.

"There are others here, who are they?" He asked prowling near the entranceway.

"The rest of the group." She answered, snapping the chart closed and guiding him to the main cavern of the cave. He walked slowly next to her, his eyes darting everywhere as though expecting an ambush. Sarah watched as their presence drew the attention of the others. Rebecca and Shaun, who were sharing banter over the various computers near the animus, turned at their approach and grew quiet.

"Rebecca, Shaun, this is Connor." Sarah introduced, smiling at the awe on the other assassin's faces.

"Connor, awesome to finally meet you, in person! So awesome…" Rebecca beamed unsure whether to shake Connor's hand or not.

"Don't mind her Connor, she can be a little, excitable or high or both. I'm not sure right now. " Shaun stated taking Connor's hand and giving it a quick shake. Rebecca made some off color remarks to Shaun, who pretended to ignore her but smiled as he turned away from her. Sarah noticed the scowl on Connor's face after Shaun had spoken.

"You are assassins?" Connor asked confused.

"Yes, well we don't go around climbing buildings or air assassinating anyone, we are more behind the scenes." Shaun replied.

"Then you can tell me why I am here?" Connor stated, exposing the elephant in the room. Shaun cleared his throat and Rebecca tired to hide an awkward smile.

"Of course Ratonhnhaké:ton…" A voice replied from farther back in the cavern. William Miles strolled into view.

"How do you know my name?" Connor replied with an edge to his voice.

"We know everything about you, well up to a certain point, the point when you, arrived here." He explained cryptically stopping in front of Connor.

"William…" Sarah began. He glanced at her and gave her his I-can-handle-this look.

"Do you see this chair here? My son Desmond entered it and relived parts of your life. How, you might ask? Because you are his ancestor and for some reason, Those Who Came Before or spirits, or whatever you want to call them, had some idea that bringing you here, to this time, when something catastrophic might happen, would benefit humanity." Connor's hardened glare passed between the animus and William. He began to walk toward it, when Juno appeared and shoved him across the room, slamming him into the far jagged wall.

"Connor!" The voices of shock echoed through the cave.

"He is not permitted…" She stated before disappearing.

"Connor, Connor are you ok?" Sarah reached his moaning form first. He lay crumpled against where the wall and the floor met at a rough angle. Afraid to move him, she allowed him to test his injuries himself.

"I am fine…" He groaned allowing Desmond to help him stand. Sarah grabbed his face and carefully turned his head from side to side to see if he had taken a head wound.

"I'm taking you back to the infirmary." She took a firm grasp of his elbow and half guided half pulled him back the way they had originally come. She shot the animus, where William stood, a piercing glare. She eased Connor onto the bed and knelt in front of him. He tried to lean away from her, but the grimace of pain that crossed his face, only drew her closer. She pressed her hand against his rib cage and studied his face for any painful reaction.

"Stop." He growled, trying to push her hand away.

"Calm down, I need to make sure your not injured." She felt her way over each one of his ribs, which was difficult through his shirt and his thick muscles.

"Deep breath, take a slow deep breath." She pushed her hand firmly into his side when he felt him inhale and then she felt him cringe away from her and she knew he might be hurt.

"Take your shirt off, now." She ordered standing and walking over to find something to give him to dull the pain.

"Sarah, is he ok?" Desmond asked leaning into the room. Connor couldn't see either of them but he heard quick footsteps as someone moved with purpose around the tiny room.

"Yes." She answered abruptly. She appeared from behind the curtain carrying a syringe. She watched impatiently as Connor was gingerly touching his side. He snapped his head up when he saw her.

"No, you will not give me any other "medicine" you will tell me what is going on." He demanded, standing and wincing slightly at the ache in his side.

"Connor, this will help with the pain…" She began, but he raised his hand to stop her from speaking. She suddenly felt as though any control over the situation she had, was now gone.

"I have suffered worse. I will not have the pain dulled by whatever kind of poison that is. If you will not tell me, I will seek my answers elsewhere." He pushed past her and Desmond back to where the animus was sitting. Juno materialized, her hand outstretched in warning.

"Come no closer Guardian. This device will bring you answers to questions you are not ready to ask." She cautioned, her ethereal voice whispering in the empty space of the cavern and the silence of those who stood around her.

"You will tell me why I am here spirit!" He spat circling her like a hunter eager for the kill. Her eyes followed him as he stalked her.

"I do not need to answer to you…" She sighed, seeing something beyond the group before her. She abruptly changed her demeanor and nodded. Connor spun around to see what had caught her attention….it was Sarah. The others turned to see what had given her pause.

"Yes….?" Sarah asked to all the eyes facing her. She took a step back, confused. Juno appeared in front of her.

"This woman shares a lineage with Eve, be it a weak one, watered down by centuries, not as pure as the true seed of Eve we still seek….should Desmond fail in his quest, you Guardian must continue the bloodline." Juno stated before fading away, leaving a wake of shock and silence behind.

"What?" Rebecca asked, looking to everyone else, looking for an answer.

"What riddle is this? Who is Eve?" Connor petitioned the others forcefully.

"Connor, come with me, there is a lot you need to know, in a short amount of time." William motioned for Connor to follow him over to the computers set up not far from the animus. Desmond hovered nearby, while William began giving instructions to Rebecca and Shaun about databases to hack into and search for. Sarah stood rooted to where she had come from the infirmary, her faraway stare interrupted by Desmond.

"Sarah? Are you ok?" Ripped from her inner thoughts, she jumped startled by the disruption.

"What? Yes, yes…" She turned away from him and went back to the infirmary to be alone with her thoughts, but she was not allowed to be alone, someone followed her. Before seeing who it was, she spoke, trying with great difficulty to not sound rude,

"Please, go away I need to be with my thoughts right now…" She made a beeline for the bathroom, to toss some water on her face, when her tail, took her elbow.

"Sarah, wait…" It was Desmond. She allowed him to hold her there, in mid-step. She didn't want to look at him, she didn't want to be a part of…this. She was just a doctor, yes an assassin as well, because she was born on The Farm just like Desmond. She never ran from what she was though, she accepted it and after the disaster with Daniel Cross, she decided to help save the lives of the remaining assassins instead of watching those lives taken from her.

"You should go back to your father to help him explain to Connor his destiny or whatever you want to call it.." She tried to yank her arm away but he held it firmly.

"Sarah, you're a part of this now too…" He was almost pleading with her and at the same time he sounded relieved, that someone else could share his burden. She risked a glance in his direction, afraid of what emotions were playing on his face. She didn't want to accept this, it was too much. She was an assassin, wasn't that enough? He looked serious and sympathetic.

"So I have to fuck him? Not only that, but conceive a child?! With Connor? Why him, why not Altair or Ezio, heaven forbid Haytham? Or even you for that matter or your farther." She demanded, raging at Desmond to hide her uncertainty and fear. Desmond allowed her to berate him, he knew what she was feeling, and he wasn't going to stop her.

"Altair and Ezio are too far removed. To combine two weak links, would not produce a strong one. Haytham, you might as well have suggested Cross. Connor's ties to the land are the key and with your faint connection to Eve, what could come of that union could be more pure then Desmond." William responded from the entryway.

"We can hear your screaming out there by the way." He added before walking away. Sarah hung her head briefly in humiliation, before allowing Desmond to pull her back to the others. He gave her a small smile of encouragement.

The muted chatter that was spilling over from the computer corner, ebbed away quickly when Sarah's presence was noticed. Rebecca continued to type away, the soft clicking of her fingers on the keyboard the only sound. Shaun cleared his throat before speaking,

"Well now we have that established…" He stated referring to everyone overhearing of Sarah's venting.

"Sorry…" Sarah apologized, noticing how no one wanted to meet her gaze.

"It's understandable Sarah, we've all been under some stress since this all began." William replied, quickly brushing aside her admission of regret.

"Some, dad?" Desmond asked incredulously. William gave a small chuckle and waved Sarah over to where the rest of them were huddled. Connor was sitting in a chair not far from the computers with a nauseous look on his paling face.

"Connor?" Sarah asked, her recent outburst forgotten and the doctor in her coming out. He looked up at her and gave her a quick nod.

"I…am well, just trying to understand everything. I did not realize I was part of something so important and so far removed from my own trials."

"It's really not so far, we are still fighting the Templars, trying to gain our freedom against their injustice and staunch obedience." Sarah answered not realizing that she was suddenly kneeling in front of him, her hand on his knee. She believed in the assassin cause, she was part of it, accepting it, but slightly removed; from a distance; never fully entrenched, until now. Her own words made her unexpectedly comprehend that she, like Desmond, had a predetermined fate that could not be escaped. If he should fail in whatever task Those That Came Before had set before him, she and Connor were to take the torch. Did they need to wait to see if Desmond was unsuccessful? Was she to bear a child alone, Connor could not stay here, he did not belong. Could he father a child he would never see? Could she go back with him….?

"it's getting late, well as late as it can when you're in a dark damp cave with no sunlight…" Shaun stated looking at his watch.

"Shaun's right, let's sleep on everything and get into more detail tomorrow." William agreed, walking over to the animus and helping Rebecca shut everything down for the night. Shaun wandered off toward the giant gate at the far end of the cavern. Desmond came over to where Sarah and Connor were huddled.

"You two ok?" He sounded concerned. Sarah looked up at him and then stood. She put her hand on his arm and gave him what she hoped was a decent attempt at a smile.

"Yeah, I'll get him settled. Desmond….thanks." She replied as he started to turn to walk off to where he was going to sleep for the night. She focused on Connor, he looked…drained. Sensing her stare, he stood to his full height and showed a tough face peeking from under his hood.

"Where can I sleep?" He asked trying to stifle a yawn.

"The only bed is the one in the infirmary; we've all been sleeping on the floor."

"The floor is fine…" Connor stated as he began to survey the area for a spot.

"Let me find a spare blanket." Sarah wondered off to the infirmary and stopped short in the middle of the room when she felt someone behind her. She spun quickly and raised her left arm, ready to eject the blade. Connor grabbed her arm just below her wrist and held it tightly in his grip. She felt like he could have lifted her just by her arm with how strongly he held her in place.

"Relax…I…wanted to speak with you away from the others…" He explained, releasing her arm. She nodded and took a step away from him, as though afraid of him. She wanted to put a distance between Connor and his emotions. She knew it had been a great deal of information that had been handed to him and she wasn't sure if it had been a force feed or a series of hungered for spoonfuls. He wasn't easy to read; with the constant stoic mask he wore which was occasionally replaced with an angered one. She watched as he seemed to try to put what he felt into words; constantly picking at his gloves in an unconscious motion. He lifted his head and met her gaze when she placed her much smaller hand on his.

"Connor…you don't need to say anything, not yet at least. Let's sleep on it and leave it for tomorrow." Sarah said, selfishly wanting her rest more than to deal with new development. He thought on her words for a moment before nodding in response.

. . .

Waking after a restless sleep, Sarah found herself alone in the infirmary. The blankets that Connor had used were folded neatly on the bed. She quickly did the same with hers and rushed to brush her teeth and make her hair not look like a rat's nest. She felt like she was missing something but wasn't sure where her sense of urgency was coming from.

"Sarah?" William was knocking on the bathroom door.

"I'm coming, I'm sorry…" Sorry? She didn't know why she was sorry or even for what reason. She swung open the door and greeted Desmond's father with the best smile she could muster after just waking up.

"No need to be sorry, you slept in a bit later than normal just making sure everything was ok." Ah, that's why she felt the rush of adrenaline; her internal clock knew she had overslept. She followed him out to expansive cavern where the others were silently working. Rebecca was going back and forth between her various computers and Shaun's silhouette could be seen moving around the giant gate area.

"Where are Desmond and Connor?" She asked William as he looked over Rebecca's shoulder at what she was working on.

"Exploring this place, I can hear them." He replied tapping the earpiece he wore. He didn't seem concerned and knowing the skills the two men possessed he really didn't need to be. Sarah, on the other hand was slightly worried.

"We don't know the size of this place or what else it contains beyond this area." She argued, feeling a slight rise in panic.

"Sarah, if you're really that worried you can follow them, they wandered off in that direction just a few minutes ago." William nonchalantly responded gesturing off to the left.

Sarah began to tread carefully through the semi-darkness, listening for either man talking in the distance in front of her as she made her way where William had indicated. Luckily, the cave had an eerie luminescent glow that made the going not as difficult as she would have thought. This place wanted to put her training to the test as she had to climb and free run over several tricky areas. She didn't need to travel far before she heard voices and she entered an open space where both men were talking over some pulsing devices. They both whirled around when they heard her relatively silent approach. She didn't want to sneak up on them, but being an assassin, she found it hard to TRY and make noise.

"Sarah….is something wrong?" Connor asked approaching her. He gave her a respectful distance as she shook her head.

"No, no…I just wanted to tag along if that's ok?" She lied, kind of. She had wanted to see what else the cavern held, but the doctor in her was showing and her concern for the well-being of the other two assassins outweighed her curiosity. They were important; should something happen to Connor, what could befall Desmond would make little difference, since he could cease to exist.

"You're a terrible liar Sarah…." Desmond laughed, "did my dad ask you to check on us?"

"No, _I_ was concerned. We don't know what's in here, it really isn't safe." She smiled, admitting defeat.

"We weren't gonna go any further than here, mom." Desmond mocked, strolling around the strange room. He stopped and cocked his head to side as though a sound grabbed his attention. The faint crackle of Shaun's voice could be heard coming from the Bluetooth in Desmond's ear.

"The reception in this area sucks. Shaun wants to show me something, can you find your way back Connor…Sarah?" The rock seemed to swallow him as he disappeared around a corner, his voice echoing off the walls. As Desmond's voice and footfalls vanished, Sarah and Connor were left alone in an awkward silence. Sarah began to feel anxiety creeping up under her skin as she watched Connor stare in amazement at the faintly glowing walls and foreign machinery.

"The spirits, they made all this?" He asked turning toward her.

"Yes, but we aren't sure what most of it does, or what it's even for." She replied walking over to where he was staring in awe.

"I am confused, but there is much here I do not understand. I wish this to be done so that I can return to where I belong." He stated facing her. The intense stare he gave her, was almost frightening. This was a man who knew what he needed to do and how to do it, that much she was sure of. She had heard through Desmond of how focused he had been and how strongly Connor believed in his cause. His certainty was what scared her; to be in the presence of someone who knew their place in life and how to keep it; it was a quality so few lacked. The fact that he was in a different time didn't even seem to faze him either, he had been startled by what he saw but never lost himself in the vastness of confusion. It was as though he knew it was something temporary and that he would return home. She didn't have the heart to tell him how close they currently were to his actual home, she couldn't risk him going outside and probably getting himself killed by his lack of knowledge. So unlike Ezio; he accepted what Those Who Came Before had told him instead of questioning it at every turn and finally giving up that he was nothing more than a pawn to their schemes.

"I'm sorry…." She whispered meeting his stare. She wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, it was more for sympathy than anything else. She didn't feel bad for Desmond, but Connor…something about him tore at her heart. His childhood, his life, his heritage…it paralyzed her with the sadness of knowing something and being unable to change what will come. She hadn't realized that she had turned her head away from him, until she felt his finger softly caress her cheek. Startled, she literally leapt away from him, leaving him calmly standing with his hand frozen in front of him.

"It is my turn to apologize," he said lowering his hand, and slowly moving toward her as though he feared she would run away. "You looked so sad." He cautiously placed his hand on her arm.

She felt herself wanting to throw the blanket of her emotional walls up around her, but she forced the emotion to be still. He was only trying to comfort her; she didn't need to push him away.

"I wasn't expecting that, it's fine." She giggled nervously. For fuck's sake, she was terrible at covering her discomfort almost all the time. She mentally face palmed herself.

"Are you unwell?" He asked, not even trying to hide any concern in his voice, and why would he. He didn't live in this time, where chivalry had been long dead and buried.

"I'm sorry Connor, I…." She wanted to tell him that she wasn't well, that she was scared. She had been a puppet this entire time, just like Desmond, like Ezio…like Connor. She had been content with her ignorance, happy to assist, to lend her skills, but now she was knee deep in this mess. Her eyes absorbed the strange machinery in the room as though they had been clenched shut the entire time and were forced open. She wanted to run away, but she knew she couldn't – and before she could even react, Connor had interrupted her thoughts with his lips. Shock compelled her to struggle, but a voice in her head coerced her into accepting.

"Sarah…Connor…this you must do…" Juno, that meddling bitch…Sarah knew that Connor was facing the same mental and physical exertion. His movements were slightly jerky, proving he was trying to resist, but like her, he could not. This wasn't right! To force this upon two people, but Sarah knew in her heart that Those Who Came Before cared little for anything except their own ambitions; the death of Lucy proved that.

Her thoughts began to cloud over as she felt her body responding to Connor. His lips on hers, the warmth of his fingertips as they delicately held her face, the rapid, aroused rising of his chest as he too began to react to the moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body firmly against his. The heavy breathing escaping their locked mouths between kisses reverberated off the rocks encasing them in the room. She felt her back touch the solid wall behind her, as Connor eased her backwards. Her hands softly grasped the hood his face was still hiding behind and she gently pulled it off his head. Her urges forced her to explore his body, as she felt the muscles and tendons in the back and side of his neck. Her fingers brushed against the rapid pulse in his neck as they traveled to his open collar. He briefly peeled himself off of her face and yanked the buckle across his chest off, along with his quiver and bow. As their lips reunited, the gentle clunking of his gear meeting the floor met their ears. Instead of returning to her face, his now free hand grasped her waist. She felt him pulling up the side of her shirt and she gasped into his mouth as his hand met her bare flesh. Her response spurred him on as he completely exposed her middle to the air. She enthusiastically tugged at the buttons on his shirt and released each one with her free hand. Her palm found the warm flesh of his chest and the strong beat of his heart. She began to trace the muscles and felt the pressure of his lips against hers increase. His fingers found her bra and he snaked his hand underneath the strap on her back. She forced her lips from his to speak,

"Unhook it…" He gave her a confused look and realized he had no idea what she was talking about. Impatient, she unwillingly released her hands from him and unfastened the bra herself. She grabbed his head and drove his lips back onto hers. She felt the soft rubbing of his coat sleeve as he maneuvered his hand softly across her now exposed back. He suddenly released her and held her eyes with his own. They were both gasping for air.

"Don't stop…." Sarah pleaded in a breathy whisper.

"Blades…" Was his answer and he deftly unhooked both of his and quickly freed her wrists of her own. Before continuing with her, he tossed his pistol-loaded holster on the floor of the room along with the rest of his weapons. He wrenched his arms free of his coat and jacket and placed it over the pile already accumulating at their feet. He reached for her shirt and began to fumble with the buttons. After several unsuccessful tries, he finally relieved her of the shirt. She felt slightly exposed, until he leaned against her and continued to massage his lips with hers. Her bra straps hung loose at her shoulders, until Sarah shook them off and tossed the garment behind Connor. As her hands found his neck and chest, his did the same, softly outlining the full roundness of her breasts. His hands felt calloused, but the gentle caresses more than made up for the rough skin that touched her. She seized the back of his head, pulling his body tight against her. She wanted to feel molded into him, and he raised no protest. His lips began to find their way to her neck, causing her head to arch to expose more skin for him to stroke with his mouth. Her fingers danced across his muscled back and rubbed his ribcage. She felt his breathing deepen and the hardness swelling between his legs. A fire began to spread throughout her body and each touch he placed upon her was like a match feeding the flames. She could feel the soft moistness boiling between her legs. Her hands felt the leather belt at his waist and she pulled at it, eager to release what it was holding. He unhooked the belt and liberated his pants as well, kicking them off along with his shoes. He tore at her pants, pulling them off as she wrapped her thighs around his waist. With the cool rock wall against her back, Connor shifted her weight on his body and eased his manhood deep into her welcoming wide open legs. He continued to dampen her neck with his lips as she tightened her legs, pulling him even closer to her and pushing her thighs open wider. The pleasure nearly paralyzed her as he slid in and out of her. She felt the rock against her back begin to warm to the friction of her body and she could not control the gratified filled moans escaping her mouth. He tried to tenderly pacify her by covering her mouth with his, but he began to emit the same declarations. His skin was hot to the touch as his heavy breathing and the closeness of his body burned against her. His thrusting began to increase in intensity as her lips found his neck and then his ear. She nibbled on the flesh her mouth found, causing him to press her harder against the rocks and grunt with pleasure, vibrating his chest. His left palm slapped against the wall near her head and though he suddenly needed further support. She arched her back further as his tongue found the space between her breasts. She grasped his head guiding him to her nipples, which he delicately kneaded with his mouth. She felt limp as he continued to rub her chest with his mouth and tongue. She combed her hands through his hair and worked her way down to his solid shoulders. She dug her nails into his back as the pleasure became almost unbearable. He groaned loudly and forced himself hard into her as she felt him explode inside her. He dug deeply into her several more times causing her body to spasm in bliss. He remained inside her as she climaxed, kissing her gently and caressing her chest, carefully bringing her down from the high. As she relaxed he eased her off him and from the wall. She staggered; her legs sore from gripping him and being held open for so long and so wide. She had some difficulty catching her breath and she noticed Connor having the same problem. He glanced in her direction as he leaned over the whirlwind of clothes strewn around them.

"Sarah…." He said between gasps. She wasn't sure what he was going to say and the full realization of what just happened punched her in the face. She just had sex with Connor…and it was amazing.

"Connor, it's…ok. We did something that was forced on us…but…it was…wonderful." She blurted out uncertain if she needed to say anything. She didn't want to feel guilty and she didn't want him to feel that way either. He looked away from her and she feared she might have said the wrong thing. She quickly began to pick through the clothes on the floor for her own and grabbed his attention with a touch to his arm.

"I am fine. I do not regret that. I am only angry that it had to come about in the way that it did." He answered with a rare smile. He reached for her, where she was touching his arm and was about to speak again when someone calling their names was heard nearing where they were. In a flurry of panic, they dressed quickly and exited the area, ready to greet whatever was thrown to them next.

This is by no means the end of the story, IF enough people want me to continue I will, but being almost 20 typed pages I felt I had to stop and figure out how this could end. So, if any continuation is asked for, I will gladly provide. Thanks for reading!


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